Mysterium
by FidgeyTova
Summary: Most Zweilts grow up together, unfortunately, Shusei's reincarnated soul was lost and Hotsuma lives the life of a normal student. Will they remember the truth about themselves or will the mistakes of the past keep them separated?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone!**

**Ok…where to begin?... **I havent done a story in... years? **  
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**I've had this story on my computer for so long. I figured, why waste it, so I'll put it here.**

**So here goes my attempt at a multi chapter fic. Obviously this is a slight AU taking place in a circus-like environment. And since my two favorite characters are reincarnated multiple times, what a perfect opportunity to do it!  
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**Although, if this idea doesn't work out, I'll take it down.**

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><p>1<p>

Cheers erupt through the tent as the crowd rises, delighted at what they had just witnessed. Animals are sent in to frenzy from the sudden noise, but calmed by their masters.

The lights are glaring down towards the brightly colored stage. All different types of people gather to the large, round center platform, gathering around a young brunet.

It always ends the same way, loud clapping and people standing and cheering. There, in the middle of the ring alongside his fellow actors and actresses, Shusei stands, waving at the crowd, a fake smile on his face.

_How did it come to this?_

He asked himself this many times.

And he always comes to the same conclusion.

He never had a choice.

It took a few minutes for the clapping and cheering to die down. Shusei can hear the excited chatter from the kids who were talking about how amazing the performances were. The audience slowly disappears from the tent, leaving behind empty seats and garbage. Once the paying patrons were all gone, the workers begin to fill up the tent and start cleaning up the ring while all the performers went their separate ways, the smiles fading from their faces.

Shusei is left alone again. He turns to exit the tent but stops when he sees a figure approach. A tall man, well dressed in a suit, comes forward. He places a hand on Shusei's shoulder to stop the boy from leaving before he could say anything.

"You did well again." He says, not necessarily in a complementing way. The man's cold touch sent shivers down Shusei's back.

"Thank you." He didn't mean it. Shusei never spoke unnecessarily to the man. If he asks a question, he answers it simply.

"You don't look well."

Did he really care? Shusei doesn't think so.

"Just need to rest."

The man taps his shoulder twice, a way of telling Shusei he is free to go.

The man saunters away slowly, pulling a cigar out of his pocket and not sparing Shusei another glance. Shusei watches him carefully out of the corner of his eye until he is out of sight.

When the darkness of the tent overtakes him, Shusei walks over to the exit and pulls the cover of the tent aside and walks out on to the grounds. People are scarce now, just a few performers and tourists left. A few patrons stood in front of booths, entertained by circus folk, throwing money at them to continue playing games. Others are gathered around in groups looking on as performers show off tricks they didn't perform at the show.

Shusei hates it. This lifestyle. The fraud.

He needs to be alone.

He walks through the grounds ignoring the people around him. After doing this so many times, he is very good at tuning out the obnoxious noises of games and gossip. It was dark with the only light guiding his path being cast by lanterns, strung lights, and the moon and stars. There are brown tents covering the area that is now off limits to customers, the temporary homes of the performers and workers. Performers are privileged with the bigger tents, while the workers share smaller ones. Shusei has a large tent to himself, though he doesn't understand the need for such a big tent. He has nothing anyway. All the tents are made to be easily collapsible, and everything is portable. The cirque travels lightly; they never stay for very long in one place.

The circus grounds are laid out like a maze, which he navigates with ease. He passes by numerous, brightly colored banners and more tents, many displaying the cirques logo and some displaying acts and performer names. They are outlined by stringed lights casting strange, colorful shadows across the cirque grounds. He passes by one banner, dedicated to him. On the banner he was wearing the ringmaster uniform, the one he happens to be wearing now, showing his trademark false smile, and with one arm outstretched, invitingly. Shusei hates seeing it, he doesn't like feeling so exposed, and looks away immediately.

Shusei walks towards the back of the grounds. Here is where the trucks are parked. The trucks are dirty, large and unmarked. But they serve their purpose of moving the supplies well.

He passes the last of the trucks past a weak barricade and is now off cirque grounds. He's just far enough to where the lights aren't as bright and the remaining voices are muted. Shusei is surrounded by trees and, feeling secure, he finds a log to sit on and lets his head rest in his hands.

He looks through narrowed eyes, through his fingers and sees the brightly colored clothing. A green, tuxedo-like, swallow tail jacket with gold trim. Underneath it is a black vest over a white button down shirt. He wore black and dark gray horizontally striped pants. Black boots, with a rim that mimics the gold trim of the jacket. His choice of clothing, as a ringmaster, is modest. The cirque owner tried convincing him to go with a more extravagant outfit. Shusei wasn't interested and since then, stuck with a more reserved garb.

He despises the uniform.

_But…it's better than nothing, right?_

Shusei came from nothing. He doesn't remember much about his family or if he had any friends. According to _him_, he was abandoned.

But then _he _came, the owner of the cirque. He made a deal with the owner. Shusei works and he is given a place to stay. A place to sleep at night, food, and most importantly…

A purpose.

Shusei never felt like he had a place to belong. Shusei never had a place to call home.

Home became the _Cirque __Mystērium_. A traveling show, not quite a normal circus and not quite a freak show. It was somewhere in between the two, a show unique unto its own. There are no clowns with disgustingly bright faces or cute little animals. This circus has an interesting macabre twist. Most presentations are dangerous and can potentially kill a performer. Even Shusei has had a close encounter with death once or twice.

Shusei's relationship with the other performers is unusual. They're like friends and also like family, yet everyone does their best to keep to themselves. They're there when they are needed by another. Most of the performers and workers, are like Shusei, they had nothing and wanted a purpose. But of course, there were the few who had come here of their own free will, though Shusei can't see why.

Having grown up in the circus, the owner had trained Shusei in all of the arts typically seen at a one, plus many others. Knife throwing, illusions, even fire breathing.

Shusei laughs, probably to cover up his own embarrassment and shame. But as ringmaster, it is essential he know all this.

But these stunts aren't what make him sought out.

His specialty, above all else, is fortune telling.

His customers would enter a small secluded room, dimly lit, with just enough light to illuminate their faces. The faint light of the room gently shines off the crystal ball in the center of the table. Shusei asks a few, key questions that hint at a person's personality, and he goes from there.

It's a game to him, albeit not an enjoyable one, but he's very good at it and the cirque owner is always pleased at the amount of money fortune-telling brings in.

People always ask him questions about their future. Naturally, he had no way of knowing what would happen to the person, whether they'd find love or become rich, but at times he could see pieces of their past, their memories.

When he first realized this, it had shocked him. He could see images of what people had gone through, almost like a movie playing out in his mind. Shusei had no idea how it happened or what triggered it, or even if he had any control over it. They were a frightening experience, so he tries his best to hide it. He knows this is something that could be exploited, especially in his line of work. Shusei has to hide it at all costs, especially from the cirque owner.

But after experiencing the visions so often, he got used to them, and he realized how it can help him. Seeing tiny fragments of their past aided in his talent. Saying things the customers weren't expecting to hear and it being true gave him credibility. Then all he has to say is what they want to hear and they're happy.

Because if this power, Shusei had become quite popular. But Shusei thinks he's a freak or a monster. Even so, he gets lines of people wanting to know every little detail of their life. He probably should be happy about it, but he's not. He can't believe how gullible the people are. Can't they tell it's all a lie?

Or maybe, he just became a good liar.

He hates to take advantage of people like this, but he doesn't have a choice. The minute his usefulness runs out, he won't be needed and he'll be all alone again.

Shusei took in a deep breath and let it out slowly in a poor attempt to rid himself of all his anxiety.

He looks up and a small sad smile appears. The stars are bright tonight and thousands of them cover the sky for as far as he can see. Shusei likes looking at the stars. They made him feel at peace with how softly they filled the night sky with their pure light. A gentle breeze whistles through the trees only adding to the tranquility.

Shusei's smile fades, returning to a look of indifference. If he allows himself to get caught up in these moments, it will only make it harder to return to his _real_ life. His life of loneliness and grief. He doesn't expect good things to happen nor does he want them. If he had a good life…

He would only be afraid he'd lose it.

And _that_ was something he couldn't go through.

_Being all alone…With nothing…No one…_

Shusei's head is still turned up towards the sky, but he slowly and reluctantly tares his gaze away from the stars and looks over in the direction of the cirque.

The lights begin to go out, one by one, from the grounds and the area has gotten quiet. With one final sigh, he lifts himself up and staggers a bit. Shusei puts the back of his hand to his forehead. He feels a little feverish but passes it off as being tired from the show.

He slowly makes his way back, prolonging every minute he wasn't back at the cirque. Shusei is exhausted, whether it is from the long days of traveling and the shows, or his depressing thoughts about his life. He could barely lift his feet up high enough off the ground to avoid tripping over branches and rocks.

Shusei barely remembers the walk back. The next time he looks up, he sees the rows of dark tents. All but one has their lights off. Shusei walks towards the only lit tent.

He pulls aside the tent's entrance and enters. Only a small lamp next to his bed illuminates the whole tent. For what it's worth, his place is large enough to be comfortable in. All he has is a bed, a few shelves with books, a dresser for some normal, casual clothes, his performing outfits are held in another tent, and in the corner is a small upright piano. The piano is covered in a thin layer of dust. Shusei hasn't played it in a while and even when he wants to, the motivation isn't there. He wonders why he has it all.

Shusei took off the jacket of his costume and threw it in the corner. He doesn't care if it gets wrinkled or dirty, especially now that their last string of shows in this area has ended.

He walks over to his bed and doesn't bother to pull the covers aside. He just falls on top and loosens the ribbon around his neck and turns off the light.

Shusei's eyes feel heavy and his body feels numb. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day and he is already dreading it. The troupe will be packing everything up and move to a new location for their next line of performances. It is a new location for the cirque, a place where they haven't done shows in years because it is dangerous for them. The police never approve of the cirque and on a few occasions, shut down their show, claiming it to be illegal and hazardous for performers and audience alike. In the end, the police's authority was not enough and the cirque would perform again. But their next destination will be sure to bring in lots on money, and most likely, catch the attention of police.

He lets out one last sigh.

Shusei doesn't care where they go to next. To him it was all the same.

"…Tokyo…"

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><p><strong>It's so fun to imagine characters we have seen in anime and manga in a whole new environment. And how to keep them in character while they go through such different experiences. Shusei in particular is so much fun to write about, probably because he's a bit of an introvert.<br>**

**I've got about nine or ten chapters written out. I myself have to reread them considering I haven't seen this story in forever. If this story does good and gets reviews, I'll keep updating. So let me know!  
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	2. Chapter 2

**So, here's the next chapter!**

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><p>2<p>

Hotsuma lets out a yawn as he walks to school, still half asleep. He rubs his eyes, cussing about wanting to go back to sleep. His bad habit of playing video games late into the night is beginning to catch up to him. His blond hair is untidy and his purple tie is messily tied and the slightly wrinkled gray school uniform finishes the look. His multiple earrings give him a rebellious look. When Hotsuma finally reaches the outside of the school, he dreads the start of classes. A few other classmates are kind enough to wish him a good morning, which he rudely ignores. He doesn't really know most of the people in his school. He has a few friends and as far as he's concerned, that is all he needs.

"Morning, Hotsuma."

Hotsuma turns around only after recognizing the voice.

The kind voice came from a silver haired boy, wearing the same color tie as he is. Behind him is a pretty, long haired girl also wearing the same school uniform only with a red tie, signifying she is a year ahead of the two boys. They are the Murasame siblings, Hotsuma's two good friends.

"Didn't sleep well again, huh?" The girl, Toko, asked. Even she knows the cause of his insomnia is the video games.

Hotsuma grumbles a response.

"How's everything going?" Tsukumo asked.

"Same as always…"

The school bell rings breaking their conversation and made the three students hurry to their first class. Toko goes to her homeroom leaving behind her brother and Hotsuma who rush to their classroom.

The two boys take their seats, right next to each other.

Tsukumo looks towards Hotsuma. He notices the blond's hair was messier than it usually is and sees dark circles under his eyes.

"Hotsuma, you don't look so good, are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine."

"But, you-"

"I said I'm fine, Tsukumo."

Tsukumo drops the subject. There is no point in arguing with someone as stubborn as Hotsuma, especially one so tired and irritable.

Hotsuma looks over at Tsukumo. He knows he's lucky to have a friend like Tsukumo, especially with how he prefers to keep people at a distance. He saw only concern in the boy's eyes and he wants to apologize for his tone. But as everyone knows, apologies don't come easy from Hotsuma.

"It's alright, Hotsuma. I understand." Tsukumo smiles. It was very rare to see Tsukumo angry or flustered.

Hotsuma blushes. _Damn that boy! Is he a freaking mind reader or something?!_

Tsukumo holds in a chuckle. Hotsuma sees the smirk on Tsukumo's face, but decides not to say anything.

"Hmph!" He looks away from the kind, silver haired boy.

Hotsuma turns his attention to the front of the classroom, expecting to see their homeroom teacher, who apparently, still hasn't arrived. He glances toward the window instead. It was an overcast day, appropriate, considering his lousy mood. He let out a sigh, which causes Tsukumo to look at his friend.

Tsukumo doesn't want to keep nagging him for fear of pushing him away. Tsukumo and his sister always have to be careful to find the right balance between being there for Hotsuma and knowing when to leave him alone but it's hard to see a friend suffer.

_If only we could tell him the truth…_

The teacher walks into the room and Tsukumo quickly prepares for class, unlike Hotsuma who continues to stare out the window.

...

"We are almost there, Shusei. Will you be ready by tomorrow night?"

Shusei looks over to the driver, his boss and cirque owner.

"Well? You still look paler than usual." He laughs to himself.

"I'll be fine."

"Heh, we'll see how much longer you can go before exhausting yourself."

For Shusei, it is hard to tell if he really means it and wants to see him collapse or if it is a warning.

Shusei keeps a steady gaze on the man from the corner of his eye.

Ryuu Tanaka is the man's name. His age shows through the way he carries himself and speaks. His thin hair is white and combed back and he is always seen in a suit. He has been the owner of the circus for as long as Shusei's known him. He is usually a quiet man and from the outside appears to be nice, but to everyone who knows him, especially those at the cirque, his demeanor is laced with spite. When he is angry, everyone does their best to avoid him.

Shusei looks away from the man and looks at the side view mirror of the truck. He sees the other trucks carrying the cirque supplies in tow.

"As soon as we've found the spot to set up, make sure everyone gets their jobs done. We don't have much time to prepare and we are only staying a few days. Two shows and that's it. We'll pack again and move before the Tokyo police find us. Understood?"

"Yes."

"I've been discreetly promoting the show, trying to avoid the bastards who want to shut us down. Otherwise, it should be a big turn out." He seems to be talking to himself.

"…"

"Make sure the performers have practiced enough but are also well rested." Tanaka adds.

"Alright." Shusei automatically answers.

It's quiet in the truck for a few minutes. Tanaka looks over at Shusei and stares at him, "Damn, you're boring…"

Shusei hides a smirk. He won't go against Tanaka's orders, but he doesn't try to make his life easy either.

They are driving on a back road, well hidden from most of the population of Tokyo and lucky enough to have gone undetected by police. They pass by a few clearings that would have been suitable for the show, but not good enough for Tanaka's taste. He always expects perfection, which makes Shusei's, and the other worker's, lives more difficult.

After a few more clearings passed by, Tanaka found the perfect place for the shows setting. It is just big enough to comfortably contain all the tents and is completely surrounded by trees.

Without waiting for orders from Tanaka, Shusei hops out of the truck and immediately went around the back to begin unloading supplies.

He opens the back of the truck and holds in a groan. There is a lot of stuff that needs to be unpacked and most of the supplies fell over and had made a mess in the truck

Tanaka appears behind Shusei, lighting a cigar. The man loved cigars and was never caught without one, "Get everything set up. Work all night if you have to." He walks away, leaving Shusei with all the work.

Shusei sighs and gets in the truck and begins working, preparing for the next show.

...

The school day couldn't have gone by quick enough for Hotsuma. Between falling asleep or staring out the window, he has no idea what any of today's lessons were about. He's just thankful it's the weekend.

"What's with the scowl, Renjou?"

Hotsuma turns around. It's a student wearing a purple tie. His name is Kazuki, a member of the school's basketball team. Hotsuma is also a member of the basketball team. He joined the team about two months ago and already gained a reputation as a great basketball player. He enjoys the sport, but lately, he thinks of the game more as a distraction.

"Well?" Kazuki asks again when Hotsuma didn't respond.

"It's nothing." Hotsuma turns away from his classmate and begins to walk home.

"Hey, where ya going?" Kazuki grabs him by the shoulder and spins him around, "Hold on a second! A few members of the team are going out Saturday night, wanna join?"

"Not really." Hotsuma says in an uninterested tone, which Kazuki either didn't pick up on or just ignored.

"Aw, come on! You're a part of the team, but we hardly ever see you besides games and practice!" Kazuki pleads, "Just one night won't kill ya!"

Hotsuma wasn't good friends with any of his teammates, so he doesn't really understand Kazuki's offer, "I'm not interested." Hotsuma, becoming impatient, turned his tone into a growl of annoyance.

Kazuki saw Hotsuma's growing irritation, "Alright, alright…" He steps back to give Hotsuma room, "Well…Katsu got a few tickets to some…freak show or something…He, Osamu, Yuu, and I were gonna go. Just…let me know if you change your mind." Kazuki walks away feeling defeated.

Hotsuma groans. He feels like he's making everyone worry today. First Tsukumo, now Kazuki. Kazuki is a nice guy and one night with him and a few team members won't hurt. After all, if it weren't for Kazuki, he wouldn't even be a part of the team. It was Kazuki who invited him to join, probably because he felt bad for Hotsuma, who always looked lonely.

And what was Hotsuma going to do over the weekend anyway?

"Uh…Hey, Kazuki…" Hotsuma says just loud enough for Kazuki to hear.

Judging by Hotsuma face, the other boy already saw he accepted the offer, bringing a small smile to his face, "Yeah?"

"I guess…one night won't hurt." Hotsuma looks down at his feet as he says it. His acceptance is his form of an apology. He'll be damned if just says 'I'm sorry.'

"Awesome!" Kazuki ran back to Hotsuma, excited that he was going to join the group, "The show is right on the outskirts of Tokyo, just past the woods." Kazuki points in the corresponding direction.

_Tsukumo and Toko live that way… _Hotsuma thought, not knowing why that came up, "So, uh…What's the name of this thing?"

"_Cirque Mystērium_…I never heard of it before, but according to Osamu, it's an illegal show so that would probably explain why most people don't know of it."

Hotsuma doesn't care for circuses. The idea of going usually doesn't sound fun, but the thought of some _illegal_ circus performing right outside Tokyo does sound a little intriguing.

"You know the trail that cuts through the woods right?" Kazuki continued, "That's where we'll all meet up at 10 o' clock at night, right by the entrance. Katsu will give out our tickets there."

"Alright."

"The show starts at 10:30. Hope that isn't past your bedtime!" Kazuki jokes and runs off. He turns around and yells towards Hotsuma, "Glad you're coming, Renjou! See ya then!"

Hotsuma watches the boy run off and after a few seconds decides to make his way home. This won't be the weekend he's been anticipating, but Hotsuma figures it's better than staying home alone.

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><p><strong>Thank you to Yuumon2, Tess, Giogiu, Yuu-chan, and Deaththekid1998 for your reviews! It's been nearly 3 years since I've uploaded anything and was hesitant to upload this story at all, so your reviews were so nice! Thanks again! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**My early Christmas gift to you all, a new chapter!** **Enjoy!**

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><p>3<p>

It wasn't until early morning that everything was set up. Since they aren't staying here long, a lot of personal items are left packed in the trucks. Shusei has a few books out on his nightstand in case he finds a moment to himself. Immediately after everything was set up and put into place and Tanaka had approved, Shusei collapses in his bed; more like a cot than a bed. His tent was mostly empty.

He lies in his bed and puts the back of his hand to his forehead. He let out an exasperated breath when it still feels warm. The last thing he needs now is a fever.

He rolls over to his side and closes his eyes, trying to lose himself in unconsciousness.

….

The sound of an alarm clock goes off, and a fist harshly falls down on it to silence it. Hotsuma lazily looks over to the clock. 11:24. Seeing that it's almost noon he drops his face back into its pillow instead of getting up. He wants to fall back asleep to make up for all the missed sleep from having to go to school, plus another night spent playing a video game doesn't help.

Remembering that tonight is the night of the circus he's been invited to, he gets a little energy and sits up in bed. Hotsuma still can't believe he was talked in to this.

_I feel like a damn kid…_

He doesn't hurry out of bed. He has nothing to do today until the show late at night.

Hotsuma wonders what he'll see tonight.

_The whole thing is probably a joke. Smoke and mirrors…_

But another part of Hotsuma wonders…

What if it _is_ real?

Hotsuma lets out a pathetic laugh for having thought that.

….

_It's pitch black._

_Shusei stands in a clearing, steadfast with his hands balled into fists. He's shaking but whether out of fear or anger, he isn't sure. _

_Across from him is a tall elegant and yet feral man with silver eyes. Behind him are two wolf like beasts, black fur with red eyes and baring their long, sharp fangs. _

"_Tell me, Zweilt, " He says in a sarcastic tone, "How does it feel to be abandoned?"_

_Shusei doesn't answer, and when the silver eyed man grows tired of Shusei's silence, he holds up a hand, an indication to the two dogs they recognize as a signal to kill._

_Shusei can't move…_

_Or maybe he doesn't want to._

What's the point, anyway?'

_One beast's jaws latches on to Shusei's throat and pierces down with all its might. As blood begins dripping down his neck and breathing became near impossible, the other wolf dug its claws into his stomach._

_Shusei could barely let out a scream and before he knew it, the world went black as the sound of sadistic laughter fills the air._

…

Shusei awoke with a start, letting out deep labored breaths.

_What…what was that? A dream?_

He felt his body for any signs of injury. When he realizes he hasn't been attacked his hand rests on his head again. He's burning up with a fever.

_That dream…it was probably just the fever._

Shusei felt like the world was swaying and, even while sitting, couldn't orientate himself.

_This isn't good._

Whether it is bad or good, he wasn't going to complain to anyone about it.

He swings his legs over the side of his bed and firmly set them on the floor. He gets up slowly to avoid any added dizziness and grabs on to the desk beside his bed for support. When Shusei thinks he's safe, he lets go.

Shusei wobbles a little bit but manages to stand. He sees his coat lying in the corner and slowly walks over to pick it up. He puts it on and tries to smooth out the wrinkles. It doesn't look great and Tanaka will probably scold him for it after the show, but he puts it out of his mind for now.

Shusei pulls up his sleeve and looks at his watch. His eyes open widely in shock.

_I slept all day!_

It's 10:20 at night. He only has a few minutes before the show.

"I've got to hurry." His voice cracks. He can't believe how badly he feels and sounds now. He shouldn't be performing in this condition. Shusei sees a bottle of water next to his bed that he left there last night after unpacking. He hurriedly drinks it all. It doesn't make him feel better like he hoped, but he has no choice now. Shusei runs out of his tent and rushes over to where the show will begin in just a few minutes.

….

Hotsuma leaves little early to make sure he meets up with the others on time. He doesn't bring anything with him other than his cell phone in his pocket and a little bit of money. On the way there, he found Kazuki, and the two walk together to the meeting place. Katsu, Osamu and Yuu are already there waiting for the others. Hotsuma doesn't know the other three too well, so he stuck by Kazuki's side.

Osamu gave Hotsuma his ticket.

He examines it carefully, still thinking this whole thing is a joke. He doesn't notice the others leaving until Kazuki taps his shoulder, "Come on! Let's go!"

They continue to walk further into the forest, almost losing their way a few times. About twenty minutes pass before they find the dim lights of the circus grounds. The whole place is blocked off by a fence except for a booth at the entrance where a worker was waiting to take tickets. The group walks up to the booth and hands their tickets to the silent man. When he receives all their tickets, he waves his hand, telling them to enter.

It is like stepping into a whole new world. There are people all around, playing games, eating candy, and shopping. It is noisy but being hidden in the trees is enough to contain the sound of the circus. It is mostly dark unless near a tent or booth, but by now Hotsuma's eyes are used to the dark and he no longer had a hard time seeing.

Everything is brightly colored, but years of wear faded the color a bit, giving the cirque an antique look. The only things up to date are the banners portraying the current actors. The sound of music is heard throughout the cirque grounds, the usual music one would hear in a circus. To Hotsuma, it sounds like a high pitched train. According to Osamu, the musical instrument is called a calliope, an instrument comprised of musical whistles that were originally used train whistles.

Hotsuma looks all around, taking in all the sights the cirque had to offer. He was relieved to see it wasn't a typical children's show. There is an atmosphere to this circus that felt a little mature, more dangerous. This feeling lifts Hotsuma's mood.

"Hey, there are games here! Let's play a few!" Yuu said running towards the games and away from the group. He stopped in front of what looks like a shooting game. The booth is lined with cheap prizes.

"We don't have time! The show will start soon!" Osamu pulled Yuu back from the games.

"Show?" Hotsuma turns to Kazuki.

"Oh, he didn't tell ya?" Kazuki said blankly, "This cirque has an awesome event with fire breathers and contortionists and stuff!"

"Hmm…"

"Fine! After the show, let's play though!" Yuu was more interested in the games than the show.

"Alright!"

"Hey, there's cotton candy!" Katsu said. Osamu sighs, knowing the night will be like this.

Kazuki laughs, "Osamu, you're like the parent!"

Once everyone was gathered together, they all decide to head for the main tent. The big brightly colored tent in the middle is where the performances take place. There is a line outside but people are quickly being ushered in. They only had to wait ten minutes before being seated.

They end up sitting in a middle row, so their view of the stage is good. Hotsuma has an end seat, which he likes. Kazuki was sitting next to him.

Inside the tent, the center of the tent is brightly lit, but everyone in the audience is in shadow. In the middle is a large round stage in the center with two smaller ones on either side. The age and wear on the stage and equipment is evident and half of it doesn't look safe. Large poles are placed around the rings to act as both support for the tent and for the tight ropes and swings. Hotsuma doesn't see any safety nets.

"This should be good! What do you think, Renjou?" He asks Hotsuma. Kazuki is like a little kid with his excitement towards the upcoming show.

"Yeah." He answers still unsure of the whole thing.

"Did ya have a hard time sneaking out? My parents are gonna pissed if they find out." Kazuki laughs, unaffected by the scolding he will most likely receive.

"Nah. They won't notice I'm gone." Hotsuma said with an air of disdain.

Kazuki saw Hotsuma's demeanor change and worried that he said something he shouldn't have, "Sorry…if I said something I shouldn't ha-"

"No!" Hotsuma didn't mean to upset Kazuki, "My parents are always gone. They're always away on business."

"Oh…"

"It's no big deal!" Hotsuma pipes up, not wanting to ruin the fun, "It's fine, really!"

Most people aren't aware of Hotsuma's home life, other than Tsukumo and his sister. Aside from his parents, he lives comfortably in a large home. His appearance and attitude however, would never hint at his personal life. Both of his parent's are businessmen, and are very wealthy. While Hotsuma lives almost luxuriously, he feels like he has no family.

The two are interrupted by the dimming of the lights. The tent stays quiet for a moment and then a spotlight appeared on the center stage, which remains empty. A few people begin whispering to their neighbors about the show and what is going to happen next.

"Allow me to personally thank each and every member of the audience…" A voice echoes in the dark tent.

Hotsuma perks up at the sound of the voice. A voice that sounds forced with an underlying hint of sadness and shame.

A figured appears in the light.

Hotsuma strains his eyes to get a better look at the host.

It wasn't an old man, like Hotsuma had expected. In his mind, a ringmaster was an old gentleman with years and years of experience in the circus industry. Rather, the person standing center stage was a boy his age. A boy who should be in school, not traveling with some freak show. The boy looks fatigued and near collapsing, but putting on a brave face for the crowd. People begin cheering at the sight of a performer.

_Can't they see the strain in the boy's face? _ Hostuma wonders.

The boy wears a wrinkled green jacket over a vest with pinstripe pants tucked into a pair of boots. His short brown hair was a little messy. But the more he spoke the stronger he was getting.

The boy ran his fingers through his hair, like he had heard Hotsuma's thoughts.

"Thank you everyone for joining us here tonight." He spoke confidently to the crowd. Hotsuma cringed at the thought of standing up in front of so many people to speak. Either this boy was confident or just very use to this routine, "I will be your host and ringmaster for the night!"

"Tonight, we have prepared a great show for you all. Amazing performances that will leave you breathless. But rather than boring you with a speech, I'll introduce our first performer." He continues.

"Our first act will be performed by Steele," The boy begins to walk off stage but abruptly turns back to the crowd, "Ah, yes!" He was reminded, "I must insist that nobody…Nobody, try any of what you are about to see." He puts a sarcastic smile back on his face and walks off the stage.

Bored by the name of the performer, Hotsuma's eyes follow the boy until he is out of sight. The crowds' cheers for the first performer pulls his attention back towards the stage.

He is a tall thin man dressed casually in black pants and a button down shirt. Despite his young appearance, he has gray hair that is combed neatly black. He couldn't be over 30 years old. He carries with him two long, thin swords.

Hotsuma rests his chin on his hands and he stares blankly at the stage.

The man puts his arms in the air to gain attention and begins giving a brief history on his act, sword swallowing.

"Sword swallowing is a dying art due to its danger. In order to successfully do this, one must train three gag reflexes and be able to remain calm, which is obviously difficult to do. The sword passes closely to the heart and aorta, which if cut, will cause massive bleeding and death."

Hotsuma listens to the man and the more he speaks about the dangers, the more intrigued he becomes.

"But, enough talk!" Steele says, "Time to show you what sword swallowing is all about!" He lifts one of the blades above his head with the point above his throat and pulls it down in front of his stomach to show the audience how far the blade will go once inside. Steele lifts the sword and brings it to his mouth and carefully licks the length of the blade. Once again he holds the blade above his head, opens his mouth, and inserts the sword. It slowly goes into his body and once all the way in, he lets go of it and holds his arms out. A few seconds later he quickly pulls the sword out, giving the crowd a chance to applaud.

He performs the trick a few more times. The ringmaster brings out several swords which Steele swallows all at once. When the sword swallower left the stage the audience cheered loudly.

"That was crazy!" Said one of the boys, Hotsuma can't tell who over the noise.

The boy walks on stage again, gesturing with his hands for quiet.

The ringmaster continued to introduce the next acts. After performances by jugglers, contortionists, knife-throwers, lion tamer, and more, the ringmaster appeared once more on the stage, completely worn out and ghostly pale, "I'm sorry to say that that is all for tonight's show! Thank you so much for coming this evening, perhaps we will see you all at another show!"

Hotsuma was happy to confirm his earlier hunch that there were no clowns in this type of circus. Kazuki nudges Hotsuma's shoulder interrupting the ringmaster, "That was pretty awesome, wasn't it? I'm gonna have to try some of those stunts!"

"That's dangerous! You'll kill yourself, Kazuki!" Osamu overheard.

Hotsuma wasn't paying attention to the two. He listened to the young ringmaster's voice as he begins telling people to exit the tents. He hears the others getting up and decides to follow their lead.

"Now let's go check out the games!" Yuu said while rushing out of the tent.

Osamu and Katsu follow him out of the tent. Kazuki looks over his shoulder and calls for Hotsuma, "Ya coming?"

"Uh…yeah." Hotsuma answers.

"Well let's go before we lose them!" He grabs Hotsuma by the arm and pulls him along.

When they exited the tent, Hotsuma looks back. He can see some the performers walking off, probably to go take a rest, while others went to their booth to sell merchandise and put on a few small acts. In the midst of the crowd, Hotsuma sees the ringmaster walking alone. Hotsuma realizes the boy never mentioned his name in the show.

_I wonder…who is he?_

Kazuki notices that Hotsuma became dead weight, "Hey. What's up?"

"…" Hotsuma looks back at the tent, "Nothing. Why don't you go with the rest and I'll catch up later."

"Uh? Alright…Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me!" Hotsuma ran off before Kazuki could ask any more questions.

Hostuma lost sight of the boy amidst the crowd, but that didn't deter him. He had to know more about that ringmaster.

_What's his story?_

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to everyone who reviews and favorites! It really means a lot!<strong>

**To those who celebrate, Merry Christmas and have a great holiday!**

**Hope to see you in the next chapter! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm so sorry for such a late update. It's hard for me to find time to work on this so please be patient! **

4

"What was that all about, Shusei?" Tanaka interrogated. Tanaka caught up with Shusei, who was in his tent, after the show.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling good." He answered simply. Shusei is aware that his answer won't suffice, but he was too tired to try explaining further.

"You are disgraceful! You think you could pull one over on me? You left out your act! Not to mention that your attire is atrocious" Referring to Shusei's wrinkled jacket.

"I'm sorry." Towards the end of the show, Shusei was supposed to have done an act in illusions, but skipped it completely.

Tanaka growls, "I don't have time for this."

Shusei bowed his head in an attempt to look apologetic.

Before he knew it, Shusei was on the ground with a sharp pain running through his jaw. He looked up at Tanaka who's holding a fist in the air.

"Don't you dare disobey me again. The minute you become worthless to me, I'll get rid of you." He didn't bother to stay any longer and left the tent.

Shusei doesn't get up immediately. He opens his mouth a few times to make sure he was okay. Sore, but he was alright, aside from the punch and the fever. He slowly gets up and takes off the jacket and hangs it nicely over the coat rack, although with it being wrinkled, he's not sure why he bothered. He should be heading out to his booth right now, to read fortunes and predict the futures of the clients. Instead, he walks over to his cot and rests, unaware that he was being sought after by a cirque attendee.

...

Hostuma continues to walk quickly through the circus. He can't explain his frustration or anger at not being able to find the boy he's searching for. Hotsuma stumbled upon the area where all the performers are selling merchandise and putting on mini shows for the crowd. All the booths are filled with the actors and spectators, all but one. He looks up at the sign above the empty booth:

_Fortune Telling_

He walks slowly over to the booth.

There isn't much inside. Through the dim lighting, he could make out a small, square table, two chairs on one side and one chair on the other. And on top of the table, lays a crystal ball.

_Could he be the fortune teller?_

He stands still inside the booth, distracted by the thought of the boy being a fortune teller.

_Hm! Probably just a fraud that tricks people into throwing money at him…_

The thought of that boy scamming innocent people irked him a bit.

Suddenly, a cold hand falls on Hotsuma's shoulder, holding him firmly in place. He turns around expecting it to be Kazuki or one of the others, but it was a man he doesn't recognize.

"I'm sorry, sir. Our Fortune Teller seems to be ill." The man with white hair said.

"Oh…it's alright. I was just looking." Hotsuma said, feeling uncomfortable in the man's presence.

"Good. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time at the Cirque." He grins.

Hotsuma nodded.

The man lit a cigar and nodded back. He walked away leaving Hotsuma alone, still inside the fortune telling booth. Hotsuma kept his eyes on the man until he was out of view.

After a moment to let his heart settle from the shock, Hotsuma shook off the meeting with the man and continued to look around the booth. There wasn't anything interesting inside or anything to give away the owners identity. He decided he was only wasting time in the booth and walked out, when a small little box caught his eye. He picked up the box and opened it.

Inside the box is a set of tarot cards. Hotsuma laughs and picks up one card to look at it.

"The Fool?" He read aloud, unaware of the cards meaning. Hotsuma knows nothing about the cards so he places them back in their box and puts it back down.

He never lets the box go and instead of returning it, he places it in his pocket. Hotsuma looks around guiltily, making sure no one saw what he just did.

He steps out of the booth trying his best to act casually and continues to look for the boy.

Hotsuma walks through the crowd of people looking in the background for anyone wearing a green coat with golden trim. After running around in circles and no sign of the boy Hotsuma walked off to the side, out of the way of people, and sat down. In irritation, he threw his head backwards and let out a sigh.

He opened his eyes.

And painted above him on one of the canvas walls was a portrait.

Brown haired boy. Green Jacket with golden trim. Fake smile.

And underneath the picture was a name.

_Shusei Tanaka_

But Hotsuma felt a sense of familiarity with the name. Has he heard it before? Maybe on television? Or in a magazine?

That can't be it. This show is considered illegal after all. It would not be advertised on television or published in some magazine. Maybe someone else he is acquainted with has the same name?

Hotsuma got up, reenergized now that he has a name, so now there should be nothing stopping him.

...

Shusei was unable to fall asleep. The performer's tents were far away from the main events but it was still too noisy to get restful sleep. The echoes of laughter are enough to drive him insane.

Instead of staying around any longer he decides to leave the camp grounds until most of the people left, even though he isn't feeling well. He walks to the opening of the tent and sticks his head out. No workers are in sight, so he takes a step out of the tent and starts walking towards the borders of the grounds. Despite his illness, he hops the barricade easily and quickly gets out of sight. Shusei doesn't know where he's going or what he will do when he gets there. He just has to be alone.

...

Hotsuma looks through a few more attractions and began to notice the crowds were dying. The cirque must be closing soon; he doesn't have much time left. He curses when he remembers Kazuki and the others. He completely forgot about them. It was too late to worry about them now, they probably already forgot about him.

Hotsuma reminds himself to apologize when he sees them again.

Instead of wasting his time he runs up to the nearest performer. It was Steele, the sword swallower. He was putting away his swords and getting ready to close his booth.

"Hey!" Hotsuma said. He comes off rude even when it's unintentional.

"Can I help you?" Steele asked, used to dealing with people of all kinds.

" Uh…" How does he put it? "I'm looking for Shusei, where can I find him?"

"He should be in the Fortune Telling booth." Steele replied, his hand waving in the appropriate direction.

"It's empty. He isn't there."

"Well, then I'm sorry. He must be busy." Steele was paying more attention to his swords than Hotsuma.

"But it's important! I have to-"

"Important business with a Fortune Teller?" Steele raised an eyebrow.

"No! It's not like that. It's just…Is there anything you can do?!" Hotsuma short fuse was burning fast.

Hotsuma's tone got Steele's attention. The blond boy looks serious and Steele wasn't the kind of person to just let someone in need be left behind. He locked up his swords and faced Hotsuma, "You won't leave me alone until you see him, will you?" It was a rhetorical question, "Alright then, follow me."

Hotsuma doesn't allow a triumphant smile to appear on his face. He follows a few paces behind Steele, who led him to an area where patrons weren't allowed.

Steele stops near a line of large tents, "See the tent at the end. That's Shusei's." He pointed towards the last tent, with its lights still on, "Make it quick though, you shouldn't be back here."

Hotsuma nodded, "Thanks." He added quietly.

Steele waves and walks back to clean up his station. Hotsuma blushes, embarrassed at having to have Steele escort him to Shusei's tent. Hotsuma knows how irrational this whole situation is.

Hotsuma looks to the tent on the end.

_How can anyone live here?_

He walks quietly towards the tent. He passes by the other tents and can see silhouettes of the people inside them. He slows down to silence his footsteps. He can't afford to get caught now.

Hotsuma stops at the last tent.

_So Shusei's there…_

Hotsuma holds up a fist like he was prepared to knock and holds in a pathetic laugh. Instead he grabs hold of the fabric of the tent and pulls it aside just enough to look inside.

It's empty.

Surprised at not seeing anyone, he pulls the fabric harshly out of the way.

_He's not here!_

Hotsuma abruptly steps inside, hoping he missed him.

Nope.

The tent is small. Just a bed and some shelves.

"Damn it!" Hotsuma hissed. He looks around the room, curiously. He knows he should feel bad for snooping, but it doesn't stop him. He sees it as an opportunity to learn more about the boy. Hotsuma walks over to the shelf where a couple of books lay. He picks one up and is surprised to see that it was a book on philosophy. Another one was a novel he doesn't recognize, but judging by the size, it's a little over his head.

_Seems like a smart guy…_

Underneath the pile of books was a sheet of paper. Not having learned much about him through the books he reads, he reaches for it.

_Sheet music…_

Hotsuma looks around the room, expecting to see an instrument to accompany the sheet music. The music looks complex and Hotsuma wonders if Shusei could really play this.

He sets the paper down on top of the books. There was nothing left to look at besides some clothes in the corner. The whole place looks run down and Hotsuma doesn't want to stay any longer, especially if Shusei isn't here. He checks his cell phone and realizes it's almost one o'clock in the morning. He remembers overhearing someone in the crowd mention that the cirque will be here another few days, with another show tomorrow night. Rather than staying here, acting like some stalker, Hotsuma decides to come back tomorrow, and next time, he won't lose sight of the ringmaster.

...

It seems to be a ritual now. After every show, Shusei needs to be left alone. After hearing the cheers and laughter he needs silence. That's not something that can be found within cirque grounds.

Every other performer and stage hand knows they won't find their ringmaster after a show.

Shusei isn't aware of the time. All the work he must do for the cirque made him able to work hard off of very little sleep, but that combined with his fever, has taken a toll. He was able to get through the show, but just barely.

The walk back to his tent was uneventful. Everyone else was asleep and it was dark, but he never has any problems navigating through the dark. The only light left came from the small lamp from his tent that he leaves on.

He walks in and stops.

Something seems off, though he doesn't know what at first.

Nobody comes into another's tent without asking. Nobody but Tanaka.

He walks over to his desk and picks up the sheet music that was lying on top of the books. He remembers leaving it underneath the books.

_Who came here?_

As much as the thought of someone coming in his tent bothers him, he doesn't have the energy to get angry. He sets the books down as he had them earlier and falls into his bed.

He's only got a few more days to go before they're on the road again. Tomorrows the last show, and hopefully, Shusei has time to rest.

**The tarot card "The Fool" is sometimes seen as a warning that significant change is coming. Another interpretation is that taking risks or confronting fears.**

**Thanks for reading! **


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